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Nothing to see here...

26 September, 2013

Finishing up my mega European holiday in Paris has been no hardship for me. And while there have been many sights, lots of walking, a few shopping expiditions and quite a few delicious pastry based sweets, there hasn't been much veg garden happenings.

This has not been through a lack of trying on my part. I particularly went to the Jardin des Plantes because it has a veg potager.

Not worthwhile. I don't recommend it. For one, it was tiny and tucked in an out of the way manner between two buildings. Given the space of the overall gardens this was almost insulting. I'm surprised they bothered at all really.

Then it was obviously in need of a little love and attention. Also in direct contrast to the many other areas of the gardens, which were all much better tended. I like the scarecrow, though I would have liked it to be wearing a beret.

However, that said there were some worthwhile and/or interesting aspects of the potager.

A wealth of berries.

Cucumbers going to seed. They look exactly like mine did.

Yellow zucchini! I hope yours grow as well as these Louise. The ribbon would be in the bag.

An interesting way to train tomatoes.

I have this exact same variegated sage. Is it just me that gets excited to see something I grow in another garden as well? Gardeners solidarity I suspect.

Overall it was a disappointment though.

The only other veg gardening I came across was in an alley in the depths of the 15th arrondissement. It seemed to be a community garden, though a little neglected perhaps.

While it was a bit scruffy, it was unpretentious and, in its own way, charming.

Some ripe and many green tomatoes.

Nice looking pumpkin. This looks very similar to a variety I've grown before called Potimarron.

However, while not veg garden related, I wholeheartedly recommend visiting the Promenade Plantee if you happen to be in Paris. It's a garden that has been developed on a raised train line that's no longer in use. It is what the similar garden in New York was baised on. It's wonderful.

Walking along the garden in line with the heights of the town houses lining the streets gives an entirely different feeling to any of the regular parks. I loved it.

6 comments:

We are planning a European trip this time next year - visiting my partners family in the UK but we will also go to Paris. Miss 7 is particularly keen on the idea of the Eiffel tour. I am particularly keen on exploring the garden on the old train line - sounds fabulous.